SC orders Karnataka Assembly floor test at 4 pm on Saturday

18 Mai 2018

Speaking to reporters, Karnataka BJP General Secretary Shobha Karandlaje said- "The Supreme Court has ordered to prove majority in the assembly tomorrow at 4 pm".

Accusing the Governor of "undermining the dignity of his office' the Congress said, "The unsafe precedent strikes at the very heart of India's democracy and portends grave consequences for all forthcoming election". It has to either get 111 votes-which would entail engineering a split of two thirds of the MLAs of Congress or the Janata Dal (Secular).

Commenting on the development, Yeddyurappa said he is ready for the floor test. This was after Rohatgi handed over the two letters to the SC on Friday.

"Let the House decide and the best course would be floor test", a three-judge bench headed by Justice A.K. Sikri said.

The BJP, despite the use of big money, a ruthless and often communal campaign, and 21 public rallies by the Prime Minister remains well short of the halfway mark with just 104 seats instead of the required 113.

"After the swearing-in ceremony of all the MLAs, the process of confidence winning should begin".

Union Minister and BJP leader Prakash Javadekar said, "KG Bopaiah was appointed as Pro-tem speaker even in 2008 by the then Governor". This is customary across the country. The decision was later cancelled by the Supreme Court.

"The governor has violated the democratic norm".

The politically astute West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was the first to point out ~ long before the numbers had emerged ~ that had the two parties fought the election together, the story would have been very different. The total was 117.

On October 15 that year, he surrendered before the Lokayukta court, after it issued a warrant against him in connection with alleged land scams, and was in jail for a week, dealing a body blow to the BJP's claim of being a party with a difference. We thought this would have applied to Karnataka as well. "The Governor's invitation does not mention any number at all". "BJP will prove its majority tomorrow". "The maximum time was one week", Azad said.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and senior Congress leader K Jana Reddy and Mallu Ravi also called on people to join the dharna on Friday.

"The Supreme Court order vindicates our stand that the Governor acted unconstitutionally". When there are no smaller parties or surplus Independent MLA's how will the BJP make up the shortfall of 9 legislators and form the government? "The RSS is killing all institutions" the Congress said with party president Rahul Gandhi tweeting against the attempt by the BJP to finish democracy. So right now, Karnataka has both a functioning government (with one minister) and a hung Assembly.

Later the Congress leaders gave a memorandum to UP Governor Ram Naik.

If the Governor through the Attorney General refuses to share names or details of people who are supporting the BJP, the Supreme Court can not force or compel. The Yeddyurappa government has also been ordered to not opt for any major decision until and unless the floor test is completed. So, there is no precedent or any previous judgement of Supreme Court on how the Governor should exercise his discretion while appointing a government. The BJP needs at least 14 resignations to win floor test on its own. Congress and JDS MLAs are locked up outside the state. They had also wanted a secret ballot. If he loses the floor test, he will have to step down as the CM.

This disqualification helped the Yeddyurappa-led BJP government survive a trust vote.